My Friday

was spent cleaning for an influx of seven year old little boys tomorrow. Eian is so very excited. He has been out of his bed at least five times to tell me how excited he is. :-)

Linda came over and got Ruth for a little bit. Ruth went to her house to help with training Moxie, her goldendoodle. This really made Ruth feel very grown up. Thank you Linda.

Well, need to get back to cleaning. I always use these type of things as an excuse to do some serious cleaning. Also, should probably get some sleep. Not used to having more than one boy at a time around here.

My Sewing Room

Many of you may be wondering, "Just how much of a mess can a sewing room be?" (Please don't judge me. I am coming clean by showing you the 'before' pictures AND I AM cleaning it! It was looking a little 'Hoarders'-like but without the bugs!)

Well.....to be honest a TRUE DISASTER! I will get it half way cleaned up, start a few projects, maybe even finish a couple, when WHAM! My life as 'Mom' comes crashing in. (Also, sometimes my depression - which has been happening more lately. Whole 'nother story there. And no I don't just get depressed about some things, I have honest to goodness depression. These IS a difference.)

Then, I find things on sale or at a yard sale or in a thrift store or it gets given to me...you know. And I just toss it back there. So, when I do have the inclination or time to actually create, my room is a mess again. Sigh. Time to start the process over again.

This time I decided to do things differently.

For one thing I have WAY too much fabric (gasp! goes all the fabric hounds out there. Cathy.), WAY too many felted sweaters collected from yard sales and etc, WAY too many craft supplies, WAY too much sewing paraphernalia from two different time periods, WAY too many..... Do you get the point?

For another thing and perhaps the most important reason, most, if not all of this, is not put together in a way that I can reasonably find it and use it. I DID color code and fabric type sort my fabric a while back.

Also, I want to move my ironing board over by the window. Change the oval table for the rectangular one (so my cutting mat doesn't hang off in mid-air), and move it out of the center of the room.

And I know, I know, I should just feel lucky to HAVE a sewing room and shouldn't leave it in such a mess! Well, I am blessed to have a wonderful husband who was raised by a wonderful, creative, talented, sewing woman. So, me asking for a room of my own wasn't too much of a push.

I have a good bit cleared out but, as Abbe has said, I have just moved it into the next room. The idea being that as I put it back, I can sort.  Sigh. I would really like another set of shelves to put in there and a couple of floor lamps for more light. Am going to have to start checking the thrift stores, but wait, you have to have TIME to go to the thrift stores! ;-)

My friend, Linda, just took everything out of her craft room and PAINTED! Painting would be lovely right now. I could paint over the dirty cream color that the previous owner left. But I really do want to get some things sewn for Christmas. Anyway, Linda has inspired me to take all of this mess in hand and try to get a handle on it. Ha!

So, how does your sewing/craft room look? Are you lucky enough to have one?

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As you may have noticed, I didn't bother putting my watermark on these pictures because who would want to claim that?

Also, the rest of my house looks NOTHING like this. I keep a pretty clean home. I have three kids, two dogs, a cat and a guinea pig, and if you don't stay on top of things they spiral out of control quickly.

So, why can't I do the same for this room? Beats me.

Today

Kids have been at VBS in the mornings this week. Nice to have a break!

Jason and I used the time this morning to go to Scioto Valley Coffee House, get a coffee, watch the Tour, and talk. Was a nice quiet morning.

Came home and started working, working, working.

This kids and I were scraping the wood siding on the house. (No, no lead paint) Still NO WHERE near finished. We also were sanding the words off the boards of the new deck so I can seal it. (See the steps for my lovely new deck in the background!)

Jason taught Ruth how to use the lawn mower. The only reason I felt OK about this is that our mower shuts off if you let go of it. You would really have to work hard to hurt yourself.

Jason enjoyed it.

Tomorrow - more of the same!

(This is what dork dog Riley did the whole time we were scraping - stand there and watch us and pant. Instead of laying down in the shade like smart dog Smokey, pictured above, did.) (Can't leave them in the house by themselves - they get into trouble.)

My Flower Beds

My flower beds are really loving all the rain that we have had this spring and early summer. They are blooming and growing like I haven't seen in a long time. Like when I used to water them all the time.....like when I had time.

Here is my lamb's ear. The kids love to feel the leaves - they are so very soft. Like a lamb's ear. :-) The only thing about it is that it keeps moving every year. A little farther, a little farther, a little farther into the yard!

My echinachea is right outside my kitchen window. The butterflies and bees love it. A butterfly came by while I was taking pictures but it didn't like me moving around, so no picture. Maybe later. But the bug stayed obviously.

This bush/flower is tall - like about as tall as me. I wish I could remember what it is. Does anyone know?  Would love to get more to plant with the one I have.

Moved all of my pots to the front porch since Jason is working on the deck. So, some of these will be moved back once the deck is finished - like the citronella geranium.

My grandma always had RED, not scarlet or burgundy but RED, geraniums on her front porch every summer. She passed away when I was in college. She was one of my best friends and I still miss her very much. I am tearing up just thinking about it... Anyway, I plant RED geraniums every year in honor of her.

These are sunflowers that have grown from the 'sterile' bird seed that I buy. We have always had a few sprout but NEVER this many! They are going to be really cool. I hope they grow flowers; I don't know if they are like hybrids??? We'll see. Has anyone had these come up in their yards?



Well, that is the front/side yard. The back yard will have to be another day.

I am ready for bed. Ruth and Eian had friends over today, and Abbe went to one of her friend's homes. I am much more of a 'helicoptering' mama when I have other people's kids under my watch. I hope they all had fun; I know my kids were really tired.

Also, I promised Abbe that we would get up and go to yard sales, the farmer's market and I need to go get some more paint for the shed and area by the deck.

New Deck

My honey and his dad have been working really hard on a new deck for us. It will be right outside our backdoor. While I cannot wait for it to be finished, it is very hard to deal with the mess that is there now!

This is the way we take the dogs outside, get to the garage (not that it has any vehicles in it), get to the back yard, find the kids bikes, get to the freezer (which IS in the garage)..... So, that part has been interesting but they have quite a bit finished now, and the kids and I are already loving it.

Oh, yeah, the baby gate is for keeping all the animals in while the back door is off for fixing it and the deck.

Now I just need to get to some yard sales or thrift stores to find some furniture. I think Abbe thinks we are going to go straight out and buy something new. I have been saying we are going to be sitting on the rocks Jason found under the old concrete back porch for a while. I may be joking about the rocks but not about taking my time to find something I really like and something that is NOT new! Think "Flea Market Style." ...Maybe craigs list??



(above from bhg.com)


I just finished painting the area where they had to replace the wooden siding (the apartment part of our house and the garage are wooden - the rest is vinyl siding). Now I have to decide if I like that color?? It is different from what I painted it the last time. It doesn't have to be "matchy-matchy" just go with it. You know?

Now, Andrea, you ask, why would you put in the deck before finishing the painting first?

1.) Husband was building the shed and someone has to watch the kids.
2.) It has been raining just about every other day here. NO LIE!
3.) Father-in-law is in here from TN to help Jason now.
4.) What color?????
5.) Knew they would have to replace some of the siding.

Sigh.... Just makes me tired thinking of what all is still to get finished!